Despite all the price increases, in some ways, Warhammer is shockingly still a very affordable hobby when compared to other fun.
Before you start biting our heads off, this is obviously all relative to how expensive life, in general, has become. Obviously, we would wish it was cheaper (and have talked about it many times) but when you add in how many hours you can get out of the Warhammer hobby it stacks up pretty well!
Is Games Workshop & Warhammer an Affordable Hobby?
If you count game time, painting, building, and theorizing, there are a lot of hours that go into the hobby. So yes in a way this means you get more value out of those little plastic dudes you spend time on than you may realize…
That being said, sometimes the sticker shock of GW is pretty hard to get over, but check out these comparisons to see what else you would have to spend money on.
Let’s start with video games:
- PS5 or PC $500 (more for a decent PC)
- Extra Controllers $75
- Games $50-$90
Now the question is, you spend $500 just for the console (not even the upgraded one) that is similar to getting a core army (for players) or getting your hobby supplies game on point (f0r hobbyists). From there each new game title is like buying a single new box from GW.
So, do you get more entertainment out of a new box of Warhammer models, or from a new video game title? Well, a single character usually takes (us at least) around ten hours to complete when you factor in building and painting.
Now, if you want to kit out your new game system, you are spending way more on things like controllers, skins, etc. So if you can beat a game in 20 hours, is that single game giving you more hobby time than painting and owning a new unit you can play more games with?
Obviously, they are both expensive, but you do get a lot of hours of hobbying out of Warhammer kits.
Better Than Going to a Movie?
We hope you saw this one in theaters
Next, let’s look at a movie and dinner for two people.
- Average US ticket price: $10
- Dinner: $35+
- Drinks: $10 each
While we’re not saying you shouldn’t go out to movies and such, just like hobbying, it’s expensive! If you buy dinner and two movie tickets, you are easily looking at $75. The movie is a couple of hours, dinner is one. So again, compared to the price of something like a movie, you get way more hours out of a single box of Warhammer minis!
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Plus, you can usually play with the same minis for years (the meta might pass them by, but that’s another discussion…)
Collectors
- Collector’s items- basically infinity $$$
This one is much harder to put an exact price on, but if you’re a collector of anything, to get the pieces you want, the prices rise so fast. then, usually, those things sit in a box or on a shelf. I think we all know it’s not hard for a collector to spend thousands every year, and then get no hobbying out of it other than looking at the display
So if you think of Warhammer in a collector’s sense, not only do you get awesome-looking display pieces, you actually get to play and paint them! Plus, there are plenty of collectible-type things in the hobby, which does cost more but gives you that feeling.
So while there is plenty of sticker shock and it is expensive, pretty much all hobbies have become super expensive lately, and you really do get a lot out of the Warhammer hobby!
Overall it may just be that Games Workshop and Warhammer is an affordable hobby – just try to keep those piles of potential to a minimum and hobby strong on what you do have!
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Have you ever compared your other hobbies and entertainment activities to Warhammer?
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About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
